WALKING AID COMBINED WITH A TOILET SEAT

Abstract

A walking aid includes a support, a toilet seat, and a fixing member. The support has left and right frames, and a front frame interconnecting the left and right frames. The toilet seat is mounted pivotally on the support and has a seat plate defining a seat hole. The toilet seat is changeable between a stored position in which the seat plate is entirely supported by the front frame, and a use position in which the seat plate is supported by the left, right and front frames. The fixing member fixes the toilet seat to the support.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 098110195, filed on Mar. 27, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a walking aid, more particularly to a walking aid combined with a toilet seat.

2. Description of the Related Art

A walking aid is an instrument for assisting a disabled or handicapped person to walk. A conventional walking aid usually includes left and right frames and a front frame interconnecting the left and right frame. In use, a user holds the left and right frames with two hands and walks forward by moving forward the walking aid. The walking aid supports a body weight of the user while he or she walks forward.

In general, the movements of the disabled or handicapped persons are relatively slow. Thus, when they want to relieve themselves during their activity of walking outdoor, it is difficult for them to walk around and find a toilet for use. Moreover, even if they know where the toilet is situated, they will be unable to get there in time. In order to solve the aforesaid problem, a walking aid having the function of a toilet is desirable for the disabled or handicapped persons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a walking aid including a toilet seat mountable on the walking aid. Hence, the drawback associated with the conventional walking aid can be overcome.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a walking aid comprising:

a support having left and right frames, and a front frame interconnecting the left and right frames;

a toilet seat mounted pivotally on the support and having a seat plate defining a seat hole, the toilet seat being changeable between a stored position in which the seat plate is entirely supported by the front frame, and a use position in which the seat plate is supported by the left, right and front frames; and

a fixing member for fixing the toilet seat to the support.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toilet seat mountable on a walking aid and comprising:

a seat plate defining a seat hole, and having first and second connection portions disposed on two opposite sides of the seat hole, the first connection portion having a pivot connection element adapted for pivot connection with the walking aid; and

two fixing rods projecting oppositely from two opposite sides of the second connection portion and each having a fixing element adapted to be fixed detachably to the walking aid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a walking aid including a toilet seat at a stored position according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the toilet seat and a bag holding ring;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the walking aid of FIG. 1 illustrating that the toilet seat is at a use position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the walking aid of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is the same view as FIG. 4 but illustrating that a fixing member of the walking aid is retracted to have a length shorter than a distance between front upstanding rods of the walking aid;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the walking aid of FIG. 1 illustrating that a right frame of the walking aid is folded over a front frame thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a toilet seat according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a walking aid according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown to include a support 1, a toilet seat 2, and a fixing member 3 for fixing the toilet seat 2 to the support 1.

The support 1 has left and right frames 11, and a front frame 12 interconnecting the left and right frames 11. Each of the left and right side frames 11 has front and rear upstanding rods 111, 112, a handle rod 113, and a transverse rod 114. The handle rod 113 and the transverse rod 114 are spaced apart from each other and interconnect the front and rear upstanding rods 111, 112.

The front frame 12 includes upper and lower rods 121, 122. The upper rod 121 has two bent end portions 124 connected respectively to the left and right frames 11. Each bent end portion 124 has a sleeve 1241 for extension of a respective one of the front upstanding rods 111 of the left and right frames 11. The lower rod 122 also has two end portions 126 connected respectively to the left and right frames 11. Each end portion 126 of the lower rod 122 is formed as a sleeve for extension of the respective one of the front upstanding rods 111 of the left and right frames 11.

The toilet seat 2 is changeable between a stored position (see FIG. 1) and a use position (see FIG. 3). The toilet seat 2 is mounted pivotally on the support 11, and includes a seat plate 21, a ring retainer 23, and a bag holding ring 24.

The seat plate 21 defines a seat hole 210 and has first and second connection portions 211, 212 disposed on two opposite sides of the seat hole 210. The first connection portion 211 has two pivot connection elements 22 spaced apart from each other and pivotally connected to the lower rod 122 of the front frame 12. In the preferred embodiment, each pivot connection element 22 is a C-shaped clamp 220 disposed on a bottom side of the seat plate 21 and clamping rotatably the lower rod 122.

The ring retainer 23 has a plurality of retaining elements 231 disposed around the seat hole 210 and each having a retaining groove 232 for insertion of the bag holding ring 24 (i.e., the bag holding ring 24 is fitted detachably in the retaining grooves 232).

The bag holding ring 24 is adapted to hold a bag 10 (for example, a plastic bag) and is attached detachably to the bottom side of the seat plate 21 around the seat hole 210 by virtue of the ring retainer 23.

The fixing member 3 has a main rod section 31, two fixing rods 32, and two locking elements 33 for respectively fixing the two fixing rods 32 to the main rod section 31. The main rod section 31 lies below the seat plate 21 and is fixed to the bottom side of the seat plate 21. In the preferred embodiment, the main rod section 31 is tubular. The fixing rods 32 are connected telescopically and respectively to two ends of the main rod section 31, and project oppositely from two opposite sides of the second connection portion 212 of the seat plate 21. The two fixing rods 32 can move in outward and inward directions to adjust an entire length of the fixing member 3. Each of the fixing rods 32 has a fixing element 321 that is connectable detachably to the front frame 12, or the left and right frames 11. In this embodiment, the fixing elements 321 are formed as C-shaped clamps 321, and the locking elements 33 are wing screws.

As best shown in FIG. 1, when the toilet seat 2 is at the stored position, the seat plate 21 is entirely supported by the front frame 12. In this embodiment, the C-shaped clamps 321 of the fixing rods 32 respectively clamp the two bent end portions 124 of the upper rod 121. In addition, the main rod section 31 and the fixing rods 32 are fixed together by the locking elements 33 such that the entire length of the fixing member 3 is longer than a distance between the front upstanding rods 111 of the left and right frames 11 (see FIG. 4).

When the toilet seat 2 is changed from the stored position to the use position, the locking elements 33 should be loosened first. At this moment, the entire length of the fixing member 3 can be adjusted to be smaller than the distance between the front upstanding rods 111 of the left and right frames 11 (see FIG. 5). Then, the seat plate 21 is rotated about the lower rod 122 and between the left and right frames 11. Finally, the main rod section 31 and the fixing rods 32 are fixed again by the locking elements 33 such that the entire length of the fixing member 3 is longer than a distance between the transverse rods 114 of the left and right frames 11, and such that the C-shaped clamps 321 of the fixing rods 32 respectively clamp the transverse rods 114 of the left and right frames 11 (see FIG. 3). In other words, the seat plate 21 at the use position is supported by the left, right, and front frames 11, 12.

It should be noted that although the fixing member 3 in this embodiment is fixed to the bottom side of the seat plate 21, it should not be limited to this embodiment. As long as the fixing member 3 can fix the toilet seat 2 at the stored position or the use position, the fixing member 3 can also be fixed to the support 1.

In other embodiments, the fixing rods 32 can move inward or outward to adjust the entire length of the fixing member 3 by an automatic spring mechanism that can make the fixing rods 32 spring out of the main rod section 31. The automatic spring mechanism can be operated through a button disposed on an outer surface of the main rod section 31.

Moreover, although, in the preferred embodiment, the ring retainer 23 has the plurality of retaining elements 231, a single retaining element 231 may be disposed on the bottom side of the seat plate 21, as long as the retaining groove 232 of the retaining element 231 is long enough to receive the bag holding ring 24 and attach the same detachably to the bottom side of the seat plate 21 around the seat hole 210.

In order to reduce the weight of the walking aid, the toilet seat 2 and the fixing member 3 can be together removed from the support 1, and can be carried by a person in charge thereof.

Of course, the walking aid combined with the toilet seat 2 can be used in a toilet room by arranging the seat plate 21 mounted on the support 1 in alignment with a squat pot or a toilet bowl in the toilet room, thereby alleviating possible infection through the use of a public toilet.

As shown in FIG. 6, because the two end portions 124, 126 of the upper and lower rods 121, 122 are rotatably sleeved on the respective front upstanding rods 111 of the left and right frames 11, the right frame 11 is foldable over the front frame 12, and the left frame 11 is also foldable over the front frame 12.

FIG. 7 illustrates a toilet seat of a walking aid according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the previous embodiment only in that the toilet seat has a foldable seat plate 21′ that includes four seat halves 215, 216 foldably connected to each other, and that the main rod section 31′ is divided into three rod parts 311, 312, 313.

The rod parts 311, 312 are respectively connected telescopically to the fixing rods 32. The rod part 313 bridges the seat halves 215 and has two end portions respectively inserted into two sleeves 314, 315. The rod part 313 can be pulled out of the sleeve 315 when the seat plate 21′ is to be folded.

With the walking aid according to the present invention, a disabled or handicapped person can answer the call of nature at any suitable place.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A walking aid, comprising:

a support having left and right frames, and a front frame interconnecting said left and right frames;

a toilet seat mounted pivotally on said support and having a seat plate defining a seat hole, said toilet seat being changeable between a stored position in which said seat plate is entirely supported by said front frame, and a use position in which said seat plate is supported by said left, right and front frames; and

a fixing member for fixing said toilet seat to said support.

2. The walking aid of claim 1, wherein said toilet seat further includes a bag holding ring that is adapted to hold a bag and that is attached detachably to a bottom side of said seat plate around said seat hole.

3. The walking aid of claim 2, wherein said toilet seat further includes a ring retainer having a retaining groove, said bag holding ring being fitted detachably in said retaining groove.

4. The walking aid of claim 1, wherein said seat plate has first and second connection portions disposed on two opposite sides of said seat hole, said first connection portion having a pivot connection element pivotally connected to said support, said fixing member having a main rod section lying below said seat plate and fixed to a bottom side of said seat plate, and two fixing rods that project oppositely from two opposite sides of said second connection portion, that are connected respectively to two ends of said main rod section, and that are connectable to said front frame, or said left and right frames.

5. The walking aid of claim 4, wherein each of said left and right frames has front and rear upstanding rods, and a transverse rod interconnecting said front and rear upstanding rods, said fixing rods being connected respectively to said transverse rods of said left and right frames when said toilet seat is at said use position.

6. The walking aid of claim 4, wherein said front frame includes upper and lower rods each having two ends connected respectively to said left and right frames, said fixing rods being connected to said upper rod when said toilet seat is at said stored position.

7. The walking aid of claim 6, wherein said pivot connection element is a C-shaped clamp disposed on said bottom side of said seat plate and clamping rotatably said lower rod.

8. The walking aid of claim 4, wherein said fixing rods are connected telescopically to said main rod section.

9. The walking aid of claim 1, wherein each of said left and right frames has front and rear upstanding rods, a handle rod, and a transverse rod, said handle rod and said transverse rods interconnecting said front and rear upstanding rods, said front frame having upper and lower rods each having two ends connected respectively to said front upstanding rods, said toilet seat being mounted on said front frame when said toilet seat is at said stored position.

10. The walking aid of claim 9, wherein said left and right frames are foldable over said front frame.

11. A toilet seat mountable on a walking aid, comprising:

a seat plate defining a seat hole, and having first and second connection portions disposed on two opposite sides of said seat hole, said first connection portion having a pivot connection element adapted for pivot connection with the walking aid; and

two fixing rods projecting oppositely from two opposite sides of said second connection portion and each having a fixing element adapted to be fixed detachably to the walking aid.

12. The toilet seat of claim 11, further comprising a main rod section lying below said seat plate and fixed to a bottom side of said seat plate, said fixing rods being connected respectively to two ends of said main rod section.

13. The toilet seat of claim 11, further comprising a bag holding ring that is adapted to hold a bag and that is attached detachably to a bottom side of said seat plate around said seat hole.

14. The toilet seat of claim 13, further comprising a ring retainer having a retaining groove, said bag holding ring being fitted detachably in said retaining groove.

15. The toilet seat of claim 11, wherein said seat plate is a foldable seat plate that has at least two seat halves foldably connected to each other.